Unexpected
by rockymickey
Summary: Isabella Swan-Black knew Edward Cullen only as her daughter's father-in-law, an incurable playboy whom she dislikes intensely. And she wants nothing to do with him. But when she unexpectedly becomes a widow, Isabella is surprised to find herself to like him more and more.
1. Chapter 1

Unexpected

Summary: Isabella Swan-Black knew Edward Cullen only as her daughter's father-in-law, an incurable playboy whom she dislikes intensely. And she wants nothing to do with him. But when she unexpectedly becomes a widow, Isabella is surprised to find herself to like him more and more.

All normal disclaimers apply, no copyright infringement intended by the use of the Twilight Saga characters.

Chapter one

"It's nice of your father to come," Bella said to Emmett, as the last guests finally left. It had been an endless day for all of them, she was exhausted.

"He felt very bad about Jacob," Emmett said, as she nodded and looked at her daughters.

Both girls were devastated by the loss of their father, and for once, they had even stopped fighting.

Rosalie and her sister, Leah, were only eleven months apart, but in every possible way they were entirely different.

And they battled with each other, over everything and nothing, since they were little.

But, at least for now, they had made peace in order to comfort their mother.

"I can't believe he's gone," Bella said in a whisper.

"Neither can I," Rosalie said, as tears rolled down her cheeks, and Leah sighed.

"I want you both to remember how wonderful he was," Bella said as she turned to them, tears running down her cheeks.

"I want you both to know how very, very much he loved you," Bella continued, and then couldn't go on as she began to sob.

She couldn't believe he was gone, couldn't believe he would never hold her in his arms again.

It was her worst nightmare comes true.

He had been everything she depended on, and she couldn't even begin to imagine a life without him.

"Oh, mom," Rosalie hugged her mother as her mother sobbed, and Leah left the room.

They looked out the window and saw Leah in the garden.

"She's mad at me again," Rosalie said. "She's always mad at me about something."

"I wish you two would stop fighting," Bella said sadly, looking at her youngest one.

"I always thought when you grew up it would be different, that you'd be the best of friends, especially once you were both married and had children."

It was all she had ever envisioned for them since they were babies, but there was a look of sorrow in Rosalie's eyes.

"Well, I don't … do I…"

"What?" Bella was confused for a moment.

"Have children," Something about the way she said it caught Bella's attention.

"Don't you want to have children?" Bella was shocked.

"Yes," Rosalie nodded, and looked at her sister through the window. Leah had had four children in five years.

"Of course I do. We've been trying for two years, and nothing has happened."

"That doesn't mean anything," Bella smiled at her. "Sometimes it takes a while. Just be patient."

"It didn't take you 'a while'. Daddy and you had us in the first two years you were married."

Rose sighed then, as Bella patted her hand, and Rose looked up. And what Bella saw in her eyes tore her heart out, it was not only grief, but fear and also disappointed.

"I want Emmett to go to a doctor with me, but he won't do it. He thinks I'm crazy to be worried."

"Did you talk to the doctor yourself, does he think there's a problem?" Bella was beginning to be seriously concerned about her.

"He doesn't know, but he thinks it's worth looking into. He gave me the name of a specialist, but Emmett was furious when I told him. He said his sister has kids, and so does Leah. There's no reason why we should have a problem. But it's not always that simple."

"Well then, maybe you should listen to Emmett, at least for a while, and try not to worry about it."

"It's all I think of, mom," she confessed, as more tears ran down her cheeks. "I want a baby so much…. And I'm so scared I'll never have one.

"Of course you will…." Bella couldn't bear the thought of seeing her daughter so unhappy, especially now, with having just lost her father. "You can always adopt, if it doesn't happen later."

"Emmett says he'll never do that. He wants his 'own' children."

Bella needed to bite her tongue. Emmett was so selfish.

"For now, why don't you just relax, and I'll bet you anything, it'll happen before you know it."

Rose nodded, but it was obvious she wasn't convinced.

"What about you, mom? Are you going to be okay without dad?"

The question brought tears to Bella's eyes again as she shook her head.

"I can't even imagine living without him. There will never be anyone else in my live. Rose. Never, I couldn't bear it. We've been married for twenty-five years, that's more than half of my life. I can't even begin to think about what I'll do now…"

Rose took her in her arms and let her cry.

"I just can't live without him."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two

A few weeks later.

Bella had asked her two daughters to come over.

As soon Rosalie asked how she was, she burst into tears and couldn't stop crying.

Bella cried till she falls asleep.

.

.

.

"Mom, let take a vacation with all of us."

"I can't," she said firmly, "I still have too much to do."

But they all knew it was excuse. She just didn't want to rejoin the world of the living, not without her Jacob.

"Mom, please?" Leah said. "It would do you good to get away."

Bella hesitated for a long moment, and then shook her head as tears filled her eyes again, and she was honest with them. "I don't want to. I'd feel too guilty."

"For what? Spending a little money? You can certainly afford it." But that was not the issue. The real problem was far deeper.

"It's not that, I just…I just feel that I don't have the right to do something like that without Jake… Why should I go out? Why should I have a good time?" She began to sob, but she had to say it, as the both girls watched her. "Why am I still alive and he isn't? It's so unfair. Why did it have to happen?"

"It just happened, Mom," Rose said gently. "It just did. It wasn't your fault. It just horrible rotten luck, but you have to go on living… for yourself… for us… just think about it. If you don't want to go on a vacation. Ok, but you have to something. You can't just give up on life, Mom. Dad wouldn't have wanted you to do that."

But she wasn't ready.

.

.

.

A few months later.

Bella still felt like her life was over. She looked to thin and tired and pale.

Rose tried everything, suggested everything she could think of, she begged, she threatened, and she told her that if she didn't pull herself together soon, she and Leah would come and drag her out of the house if they had to.

"You girls have better things to do with your time than to worry about me. How is Emmett?"

Bella always changed the subject, but by the end of the afternoon, Rose was so upset she was actually angry with her, and she said so.

"You know, you make me mad as hell. You have everything to be grateful for, a good life, a beautiful home, two daughters who love you, and all you can do is sit here and feel sorry for yourself and cry over Daddy. Don't you love us? Can't you think of anyone but yourself for once? Don't you see how worried we are? Jesus, that's all I ever think about anymore. That and the fact that I'm never going to have children."

And without meaning to, Rose was suddenly crying and Bella had her arms around her, and apologizing for the pain she'd caused. They were both crying, but for once, the thing Rose had said were on the point and Bella actually looked a little better.

Rose suddenly decided to ask her to go to Edward's party that night.

"Go there?" Bella looked horrified at the suggestion. "That's crazy."

"So is what you've done to yourself in the past few months. Come on, Mommy, do it for me. You won't know anyone. Just put on a dress and some makeup and we'll go together. It would make Emmett really happy."

"I'll go out to dinner with you both one night. He'd like that. I'll take you to the Bella Italia."

"I want you to come out with me now. You don't have to stay long. Fifteen minutes tops. Just make the effort. For me… for Leah… for Daddy … he wouldn't want to see you like this, Mom. I really believe that."

…

"You really think your father would want me to do it?" Bella asked, as Rose nodded slowly.

"I do, Mom."

Bella turned on her heels and walked into her bedroom, Rose followed amazement.

Bella went to her closet, and held out a somber black one.

"What do you think of this?"

Rose looked at her in shock. "Um… I think it's a little severe, don't you?"

Rose went in the closet. "How about this one?" She held out a navy bleu dress out.

Bella took it and put on navy bleu pumps on.

Rose help her put her makeup on and her hair. "What do you think?"

"It's ok."

Rose smiled as she looked at her mother.

"What do you think?" Bella asked nervously. "Do I look like me, or the sad sack I've been?" There were tears in her eyes as she said it.

"You look like you, Mom." Rose said with tears in her own eyes. "O god, I love you," she said as she held her.

Bella blew her nose, putting everything she needed into a navy handbag, looking admiringly at her daughter.

Rose was wearing a red dress she loved and standing side by side in red and bleu, they looked like sisters.

"You're a good girl, Rose, and I love you," Bella whispered, as they headed toward the front door.

Bella still couldn't believe she'd let Rose talk her into this, but she was determined now to do it.

"We won't stay long though, will we?" She asked nervously as she put on her coat. She hadn't worn it since her husband's funeral, but she didn't let herself think of that now. She was doing this for her daughter.

"I don't want to stay more than a few minutes."

"I'll bring you home whenever you want, Mom. I promise."

"All right then," Bella said, she felt like she was saying goodbye to someone who wasn't there anymore. She paused and then slowly closed the front door behind her.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three

Bella was a little breathless and startled as they got there. It was all so busy.

There were a few faces she recognized that she hadn't see for years.

They suddenly rushed up to her. There were so happy to see her again and wanted to know how she was doing. She managed to tell them about Jacob, and that this the first time she'd been out since he died.

.

.

.

"Now the party is the best," Edward said teasing her.

"I doubt that, Edward. It's good to see you. It's a beautiful party."

"You'll have to come more often." He seemed in good spirits, and Bella accepted a glass of bubbles.

"You look incredible, Isabella." He said. "Have you been well?" he asked politely.

She hesitated for a moment. "More or less," she said honestly, with a sad smile. "It's been rough. Looking back, I guess I'm lucky I survived it." And she meant it.

"I went through that once," he said thoughtfully.

"I thought you were divorced." Bella said confused.

"I was divorced for my first wife," Edward said quietly. "But ten years my second wife died."

"I'm sorry," Bella said gently.

There was some problem that needed Edward attention. So he left her.

Rose went up to her. "How are you doing, Mom? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, sweetheart. Thanks for bringing me here. I have see people that I haven't see for a few years, and Edward has been very pleasant." She started to feel sorry for what she had said about him since their kids got married, he seemed much more respectable to her than he had before. She hated to admit, that she almost liked him.

"When is Emmett coming?"

"Any minute, I hope. He was in a meeting." Just then Rose phone start ringing. "It's Emmett."

…

"What about my mom? I can't just leave her here," Rose said, sounding worried.

…

"Okay, I'll try. See you later."

"He can't make it, he want me to pick him up."

Bella started to panicked but before she could say a word, Edward said, "I have a limo outside. Whenever your mom wants to home, I'll have my chauffeur drive her home. How does that sound to you?" he asked turning to Bella, who still looked startled to be left behind by Rose, but she didn't want to be a burden to her.

"That's fine actually, you don't have to do that, Edward. I can take a cab."

"No," he said firmly, "you'll take the limo. You shouldn't be riding around in a taxi at this hour."

Bella laughed at his firmness and the attention, and agreed to take the limo.

Rose kissed her goodbye and left.

.

.

.

Bella was shocked when she realized that she was one of the last guests.

"How embarrassing, you are going to have me kick out to get rid of me," she said apologetically.

He insisted on taking her home himself.

Once they were in the car, he asked if she'd like to stop somewhere for a bite to eat. She hesitated, thinking but there was nobody watched for her a home. And she was a little hungry.

She had been worried about Rose and Emmett, and she wondered if he also had noticed. Maybe that's why he asked her. She thought so, so she accepted his offer.

…

They ordered something light, and Edward did most of the talking, and she realized he isn't the man she thought he was. He was amazing a pleasant to talk to. When the food came, he brought up the subject if their children.

"Do you think they're okay?"

"I don't know," she said honestly. "I've been worried about them for a while now, but I guess I haven't been much help to Rose. I've been so wrapped up in myself, I feel like I've failed her as her mother."

"That's nonsense, this was the time you needed for yourself. I am sure she understood that. She's a terrific girl… I just hope Emmett is treating her well. She doesn't look happy."

Bella sighed then, not wanted to break a confidence, but anxious to share what she know. "I don't want to say anything I shouldn't, Edward. But I think she is very upset about not getting pregnant."

"I thought that might be it," he said, looking at Bella. "Have they been trying that seriously? Emmett never tells me."

"From what I understand, for almost three years now. That can be very depressing."

"Or a lot of fun, depending on how you look at it." He said irreverently, and she laughed in spite of herself, and then they both grew serious again.

"They don't look like they're having fun, although she seemed better tonight than she was in a long time."

"Maybe she was just relieved to see you feel better," he said gently.

Bella nodded.

"Maybe, the last I heard f it, she wanted Emmett to go to a specialist, and he didn't want to."

"Then is serious. That's not good news. Do you think he's gone yet?"

"I don't think so, although I know she has."

"And?"

"I don't know anything yet, but I do know they're not pregnant. Or at least I don't think so."

"They would have told us if it had worked by now. It really worrisome. I've teased him about it from time to time… and now of course I realize that shouldn't have, idiot I am."

"I think he worries a lot about his business," Bella said. She like Emmett a lot.

"Emmett worries about everything," Edward said with a worried frown. "He is just that kind of person, that's why he is good at what he does."

…

The evening had gone very quickly. And as they left the restaurant, he promised her that he would talk to Emmett about going to the specialist with Rose.

"He may not appreciate my talking to him about it, but I'll give it try."

"I'd really appreciate that."

"I let you know how it went."

By then they got back in the car.

"Just think, if everything goes good, we might be grandparents again by this time next year."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter four

Bella didn't hear from Rose for the next week or so, but Edward call and he said he had something to tell her, and so he invited her for lunch. And she accepted, knowing that his only motive was to talk about their children.

…

After the waiter brought their food. Edward said he had had lunch with Emmett, had brought up the subject. He had inquired about why they hadn't gotten around to having kids, and Edward said that Emmett had pretty candid about it, and told him the same thing as Bella had.

Emmett thought it was embarrassing, and he felt as his manhood was being questioned. But after a long conversation, he had finally agreed to do something about it, even though he didn't want to. He promised to go to the doctor with Rose as fast as possible.

"So mission accomplished. For now."

Bella was impressed. And she sat back in her chair and smiled at him in amazement. "Edward, you are fantastic. I can't believe it. Poor Rose has been begging him to for so long, and he wouldn't."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five

A few days later.

"Do you like Italian food?" Edward suddenly asked her out of nowhere.

"What?" Bella asked.

"Tonight for dinner?"

"You gave me lunch the another day, Why don't you come out to my house, and I'll cook you dinner. Nothing fancy. I owe you one, for getting Emmett to go to the doctor."

"I love to." He accepted her invitation, and promised to be there at six to help her.

.

.

.

He rang the bell exactly at six o'clock and when she opened.

"Very domestic picture," he commented as he came in, and she laughed at his comment.

"I hope so, after all this years of marriage."

"You know, I never thought of you that before, domestic I mean," Edward confessed as he followed her into the kitchen.

"Well, I always wanted a man I loved and a family?"

"Were you happy?" he asked, as he watched her.

"I loved being a mom to my kids, and with Jake. It was a good life." She looked pensive for moment then, as she thought about it. "It's hard to believe that it's over. One minute he left the house happy and a few hours later he's gone."

Edward nodded. "It sounds dumb to say but at least he didn't suffer."

"I guess that's true, but we did. I wasn't prepared at all. He seemed so healthy. We never even talked about what would happen if one of us died. We never…." Tears filled her eyes and she turned away, and suddenly Edward was behind her, holding her.

"It's okay… I know… that how it felt when I lost Tanya. She had a car accident, she never knew what hit her. For a long time, I wished it would be me, not her…. I felt so guilty."

"So did I," Bella said as she turned to him. She looked in to his green eyes.

"For a long time, I kept wishing I had died instead of Jake. But for the last few weeks, I'm glad I didn't. I've been enjoying my children and doing little things, it makes a difference."

He nodded, and put on one of her aprons.

"Okay, enough of the heavy stuff, madam. What's for dinner? What do you want me to do?"

"Why don't you sit and relax. Everything is pretty much done."

She poured him a glass of wine, and did the finishing touching on dinner.

They talked while they're eating and after dinner they went into the living room for more talking.

...

It was easy to see why he had so much success with the women.

"Don't you get tired of it?" She asked him. She felt as though she could ask him anything. They were friends now. "All the women, I mean. I would think it would be exhausting to be with strangers all the time. I can't even imagine having to deal with it, starting all over again n constantly,…"

"Stop!" he put up a hand with a groan. "You're destroying my lifestyle. If you make me question it, I may not be able to do it. It's just one way of never getting involved. That's all. It's what I've needed ever since Tanya."

"I'd rather read a good book," she said honestly, and he laughed.

"Well, actually . . . that could be the essence of difference between men and women. Up until now, if the choice was a good book or women, I would have to pick women. But if you make me think about it with seriousness, I may have to go to the library tomorrow morning."

"You're hopeless."

"I am. It used to be part of my charm, but I can see that it's rapidly becoming a liability. Maybe we shouldn't discuss this."

They talked about other things then. And the night flew by. It was after midnight when he finally left her.


End file.
